Where in your life do you want to wake up?
Ah, the delicious “snooze”. Have you got your phone set so that you can hit the snooze button without even looking (and not accidentally shut off the alarm in the process)? Have you ever proclaimed yourself snooze Queen or King? I’ve known a few, and I’ve even claimed that title in the past!
Hitting the snooze is something that many of us do in the morning, to grab a few more of those precious cozy minutes, slip back into the dream, or delay the inevitable. The alarm will eventually rouse us and we forge ahead (or drag our feet) into the day. However, I’ve noticed that there are many areas of life that people “hit the snooze” on, and they never quite wake up. I bet you can recognize many common ones: delaying a job search, putting off financial planning, or simply ignoring a closet whose contents are spilling onto the floor.
We’re all guilty of snoozing
There are other ways we hit the snooze – I often hear about things that people are procrastinating on, like saving for a wonderful vacation or transforming their exercise and eating habits. Here’s a big one for people who aren’t in a relationship – they put off dating! They say they’d love to meet someone, but they just hope that someone falls into their lap, while they know that in these busy times, it actually takes some effort to meet suitable people and get to know them.
All of these things would improve their lives, so why do people hit the snooze and continue to put it off? Here’s a secret that we all know – it is easier not to take any action. It’s easier to push it off, to stick to routine, to shove hopes and goals into the future – because deep down, a voice inside might be saying “you’ll never make it, it’s too much work, why try?” If you never try, you can’t get let down, so you keep snoozing away – and that goal remains just a nice dream.
Get specific! Focus on the little things
How about you choose a special goal to wake up to? Get out of the metaphorical bedhead and put your feet on the floor! Choose ONE thing to work on, and begin by brainstorming small steps. Really break it down into manageable things that you can do in your day. Do you want to save money? 1 – stop by your bank and set up a linked account 2 – create a small recurring transfer 3 – forget about it while it accumulates! Or make an actual piggy bank, and then “deposit” the small bills left in your wallet at the end of the day. Have fun with it! Want to meet people? Your checkoff list might include 1- email two people and invite them to a party 2 - RSVP to a meetup for something you want to learn more about, and 3 - enlist a friend to help you with an online profile. Do these things even once a week, and you’ll get more results than you are right now! You have to start somewhere, but if you focus on the little things, big movements can start to happen.
Don't go it alone
Here's another secret - you'll have more success if you don't do this alone. Real change can be a challenging process, and it makes a huge difference to have a person to plan with and help you stay on course over time. Through coaching and accountability, you can identify a neglected area of life to pay attention to, and as you move through the tasks, you begin to see wonderful and amazing outcomes.
One of my joys is helping people get things rolling. This year, clients of mine have left a toxic job for a much better one, had closure on a relationship which opened the door for a healthier and happier partner, turned their small consulting business into a launch pad for a new career, increased their self-confidence which led to public speaking engagements… and every one of them came through with a strong sense of pride (and a little shock) that they made these things happen! They accomplished them by getting clear on their goal, and then starting with small steps – it works.
Do you want to experience finding clarity in your goals, and creating your own path which will lead you there? You can join the people who did something different – they stopped hitting the snooze.
Ask yourself - where in my life do I want to wake up?